Obama Points to Rebels in Crash, New Pressure on Putin

The Obama administration set a course for a more aggressive campaign to quell the Russian-backed insurgency in eastern Ukraine, demanding an immediate cease fire and aiming blame at Moscow for the crash of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 that the U.S. said was destroyed by a Russian-made antiaircraft weapon system.

President Barack Obama said that while not all facts are known about the crash, which killed 298 people, including at least one person who holds dual U.S.-Dutch citizenship, the tragedy resulted from the continuing violence in the region, fueled by Moscow.

“This should snap everybody’s heads to attention,” Mr. Obama said in a news conference at the White House.

The U.S. president sought to exert new pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the separatist uprising in eastern Ukraine and to coax more assertive action against Russia by European allies.

“The stakes are high for Europe,” Mr. Obama said, adding that the downing of the airline should be “a wake-up call to Europe and to the world.”

Mr. Putin, he said, has control of the Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine and could force them to stand down.

The dual U.S.-Dutch citizen was identified by the State Department as Quinn Lucas Schansman. Further details were not available.

Shortly before Mr. Obama spoke, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, delivered a lengthy statement to the Security Council in New York detailing evidence that the Malaysian plane was “likely downed” by an SA-11 antiaircraft system “operated from a separatist-held location” in eastern Ukraine close to the Russian border.

“Russia must stop destabilizing Ukraine,” Ms. Power said.

The developments pointed to a White House strategy to seize on the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in a bid to finally end months of turmoil in Ukraine and scale back the Russian interference and aid to separatists.

The Obama administration officials have coalesced around the theory that pro-Russian forces used a sophisticated Russian-made weapons system to shoot down Malaysia Airlines jet—as it passed over the contested Ukrainian territory where separatists have been accused of shooting down other Ukrainian aircraft in the past week.

In her presentation, the Russian ambassador looked on as Ms. Power said the U.S. “cannot rule out technical assistance from Russia” to operate the sophisticated weapons system the U.S. believes was used to down the jetliner.

Ms. Power also said that Moscow had provided the pro-Russian separatists with Soviet-era tanks and artillery. The Ukrainian military had discovered caches of Russian-provided military equipment in parts of eastern Ukraine retaken from separatists, she said.

“We must stop at nothing to bring those responsible to justice,” Ms. Power said. “This appalling attack occurred in the context of a crisis and has been fueled by Russian support for separatists—through arms, weapons, and training—and by the Russian failure to follow through on its commitments.”

Ms. Power said that each nation in the world must consider the crash victims as their own and to “stop at nothing to bring those responsible to justice.”

U.S. officials probing the tragedy are eager to try and learn if Russian forces were present during the firing of the antiaircraft missile, a development that would put more pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to take decisive steps to cut his country’s support for separatists in Ukraine.

Mr. Obama suggested that Russia played a critical role in providing separatists in Ukraine with the equipment and expertise needed to shoot down planes.

“It is not possible for these separatists to function the way they’re functioning…without sophisticated equipment and sophisticated training—and that is coming from Russia,” he said.

Mr. Obama called for a thorough investigation of the incident and an immediate cease fire backed by Ukraine, rebels and Russia. “Evidence must not be tampered with,” he said.

Earlier this week, the Obama administration announced new sanctions against Russia over its alleged interference in Ukraine. The U.S. says the separatists are getting significant support from Russia, an accusation Moscow has denied.

Obama Points to Rebels in Crash, New Pressure on Putin

By Carol E. Lee, Dion Nissenbaum , Jeffrey Sparshott

President Barack Obama said one U.S. citizen was killed on Malaysia Air flight MH17 Thursday.

Agence France-Presse/Getty Images

The Obama administration set a course for a more aggressive campaign to quell the Russian-backed insurgency in eastern Ukraine, demanding an immediate cease fire and aiming blame at Moscow for the crash of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 that the U.S. said was destroyed by a Russian-made antiaircraft weapon system.

President Barack Obama said that while not all facts are known about the crash, which killed 298 people, including at least one person who holds dual U.S.-Dutch citizenship, the tragedy resulted from the continuing violence in the region, fueled by Moscow.

“This should snap everybody’s heads to attention,” Mr. Obama said in a news conference at the White House.

The U.S. president sought to exert new pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the separatist uprising in eastern Ukraine and to coax more assertive action against Russia by European allies.

“The stakes are high for Europe,” Mr. Obama said, adding that the downing of the airline should be “a wake-up call to Europe and to the world.”

Mr. Putin, he said, has control of the Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine and could force them to stand down.

The dual U.S.-Dutch citizen was identified by the State Department as Quinn Lucas Schansman. Further details were not available.

Shortly before Mr. Obama spoke, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, delivered a lengthy statement to the Security Council in New York detailing evidence that the Malaysian plane was “likely downed” by an SA-11 antiaircraft system “operated from a separatist-held location” in eastern Ukraine close to the Russian border.

“Russia must stop destabilizing Ukraine,” Ms. Power said.

The developments pointed to a White House strategy to seize on the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in a bid to finally end months of turmoil in Ukraine and scale back the Russian interference and aid to separatists.

The Obama administration officials have coalesced around the theory that pro-Russian forces used a sophisticated Russian-made weapons system to shoot down Malaysia Airlines jet—as it passed over the contested Ukrainian territory where separatists have been accused of shooting down other Ukrainian aircraft in the past week.

In her presentation, the Russian ambassador looked on as Ms. Power said the U.S. “cannot rule out technical assistance from Russia” to operate the sophisticated weapons system the U.S. believes was used to down the jetliner.

Ms. Power also said that Moscow had provided the pro-Russian separatists with Soviet-era tanks and artillery. The Ukrainian military had discovered caches of Russian-provided military equipment in parts of eastern Ukraine retaken from separatists, she said.

“We must stop at nothing to bring those responsible to justice,” Ms. Power said. “This appalling attack occurred in the context of a crisis and has been fueled by Russian support for separatists—through arms, weapons, and training—and by the Russian failure to follow through on its commitments.”

Ms. Power said that each nation in the world must consider the crash victims as their own and to “stop at nothing to bring those responsible to justice.”

U.S. officials probing the tragedy are eager to try and learn if Russian forces were present during the firing of the antiaircraft missile, a development that would put more pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to take decisive steps to cut his country’s support for separatists in Ukraine.

Mr. Obama suggested that Russia played a critical role in providing separatists in Ukraine with the equipment and expertise needed to shoot down planes.

“It is not possible for these separatists to function the way they’re functioning…without sophisticated equipment and sophisticated training—and that is coming from Russia,” he said.

Mr. Obama called for a thorough investigation of the incident and an immediate cease fire backed by Ukraine, rebels and Russia. “Evidence must not be tampered with,” he said.

Earlier this week, the Obama administration announced new sanctions against Russia over its alleged interference in Ukraine. The U.S. says the separatists are getting significant support from Russia, an accusation Moscow has denied.